Despite WWE revisionist history, WrestleMania was NOT the first supercard of its type ("the granddaddy of them all"). The first pro wrestling supercard was the National Wrestling Alliance's (the future World Championship Wrestling)'s Starrcade, which began airing two years prior to WrestleMania, although it did not air on pay-per-view until 1987; instead airing on closed circuit television from 1983-1986.

WrestleMania was the World Wrestling Federation (WWF)'s response to Starrcade, and, like Starrcade, is WWE's signature event, held annually every March/April continuously since its 1985 début.